There is an increasing trend with regard to personal cellular communications toward the use of smartphone devices, which in addition to allowing for voice communications, also enable more extensive data type services including text messaging and web browsing. In support of such services, there has been a corresponding desire to enlarge the screen sizes in order to support the viewing of web pages, as well as support more sophisticated graphical interfaces.
As a result of increasing screen size, device real estate previously available for keyboard interfaces often involving one or more mechanically actuated buttons have given way to virtual keys integrated into the graphical interface with the virtual buttons displayed on respective portions of the ever larger screen sizes, and a touch sensitive interface overlaid upon the display screens to detect the particular area and/or button with which the user is wanting to interact.
In order to maximize the size of the screen relative to the size of the front facing of the device, many devices have elected to reduce the border region outside the area of the display. As a result, devices with housings having reduced border regions can often result in a reduced amount of front side surface space or area associated with the housing to which a front lens can be affixed.
In at least some instances, the size and shape of the front surface opening in the housing may be further affected, when during manufacturer, the front surface opening provides the access by which at least some of the internally positioned components are placed within the housing. In some of these instances, the front opening in the housing may provide the only access for internally positioned components, which in turn could additionally impact the available surface area of the housing to which the front lens can be bonded.
However a secure manner of attaching the lens can be important, as a housing of a hand held device can sometimes be subjected to external stresses, such as a user inadvertently sitting on the device, or the user accidently dropping the device. If the lens is not sufficiently attached to the housing, the lens can become at least partially delaminated dependent upon the nature and the amount of the force experienced by the device, housing and/or lens under various conditions. Even though the conditions that might cause delamination might not be consistent with normal usage conditions, in some instances the phone might be the subject of handling that goes beyond normal usage. It would be beneficial for the device to be able to survive at least some levels of unforeseen handling within reason. While one may not be able to secure the device against any and all levels of potentially applied external forces, it would be increasingly beneficial to the user to the extent that the survivable levels of external forces could be increased.
Correspondingly, the present inventor has recognized that it would be beneficial to manage the structure and corresponding method of attaching the lens to the housing, where the space requirements might limit the available area for attaching directly to the housing. In turn, the applicant has recognized that providing an area of attachment that extends beyond the housing would be beneficial.